MOLDOVER: waaaaay more than an album! - "FOUR TRACK"

$35,306

532

THE KICKSTARTER ENDS BUT THE PROJECT CONTINUES

Update:$40K Stretch GoalWe made it to our initial funding goal which means the album will be recorded and Voice Crushers will be made! Remember that the first stretch goal of $40K will mean that we can buy all the tools and hire all the people we need to make this album look, sound, and feel truly AWESOME. The more pledges we gather the better FOUR TRACK will be in the end. Please keep spreading the word about this project, and thanks for all your support!

Update: New Media AddedClick on the "Updates" link above for all kinds of videos, photos, and more fun stuff related to the project.

What's going on here!?!

Hi! My name is Moldover and I am ultra excited to announce the recording of my new album "Four Track"! It's inspired by a tape of songs I made when I was a kid. Back then, my music was simple and unpolished, but it came straight from the heart onto that tape. Now I'm bringing that soulful sincerity back into my music, and expanding it with new instruments, new sounds, and a whole new performance style. If you haven't already, please watch the video above to get the big picture!

What is that cassette-looking thing?

This album is my life's greatest work and I want it to be enjoyed by as many people as possible, but I can't release my new music as just a simple download. I needed to create something really special. For my last album I pioneered the idea of "instrument as packaging" with my Light Theremin CDs. I had a ton of fun making them and I learned so much that I decided to re-invent the idea for Four Track. The result is a cassette-sized instrument I call The Voice Crusher. Watch my Kickstarter video for a demonstration of how it works, and check out the rewards to your right if you think you might want one. Keep reading below for the full details of its design and production.

You're crazy, but I like you. Why are you doing all this?

Four Track is the culmination of many years' hard work. It's challenging me to learn new skills, push my creative limits, and bring new depth and vulnerability to my music. This is the most wholehearted and personal project I've ever undertaken, and I'm excited to have the Kickstarter platform to help me gather support for it.

What will you do with the funding?

There is more than one way to complete any creative project. The more money I can raise, the better it will be! I set the $20K goal for this campaign between an amount I am very confident I can raise ($10K), and the actual amount of money I want to spend to realize my vision ($40K).

If we can meet the $20K kickstarter goal, it will be enough to
get the recording done on a minimal budget, manufacture The Voice
Crusher albums, and fulfill all rewards.

If we raise $40K, I can afford to buy all the tools and hire all the people I need to make this album look, sound, and feel truly AWESOME.

If we can raise MORE, this album will grow far beyond this campaign, with many more wonderful collaborations like music videos, tours, and the design of all kinds of new instruments.

Can you tell me more about The Voice Crusher?

Building on what I've learned creating the The Light-Theremin and many other instruments, I began the conceptual design of The Voice Crusher about two years ago:

First sketches

With the mentorship of my friend Mitch Altman
I began building prototypes at the beginning of 2013:

2nd generation prototype

All the
demonstrations you saw in my Kickstarter video were recorded with the 3rd generation prototype. The 4th generation was completed during the filming of the kickstarter video and looks very similar. Changes between the 3rd and 4th generations were mostly to the layout. I made the instrument easier to assemble, more visually attractive, and more ergonomic to play. The actual components are almost identical:

4th generation prototype

I am currently designing the 5th generation "Production Model" with the help of Mike Zhao from Ettonet. The functionality of the Production Model will be practically identical to the 3rd & 4th generations. The layout will be virtually identical to the 4th. The one planned significant change is that that some of the big thru-hole components will be swapped out for smaller surface-mount components. This means it will look slightly different (and better), because
surface-mount components allow for more flexibility in
aesthetic placement. It also means that this new model can be assembled more efficiently (mostly by robots!), ensuring that we can get hundreds or even thousands of them produced quickly and at a reasonable cost.

Sweet! Anything else I should know?

YOU are awesome. Thanks for reading this. If you have more questions hit me up.

Risks and challenges

I've been an independent artist for eight years, and a freelance musician for a long time before that. I understand the risks and challenges that are part of creative projects like this very well. Browse through the posts on my homepage (http://moldover.com) and you'll see a multitude of similarly ambitious undertakings that I have followed through to completion.

I know well that sometimes things don't go as planned. Personal life problems can arise, collaborators may fall through, or resources that were available during planning can disappear during production. In the course of my work I've experienced all of these and countless other setbacks. I've become an expert troubleshooter, improviser, communicator, negotiator, collaborator and, most importantly, I have gained the sense of personal responsibility that it takes to persevere through difficulty and complete a project.

I'm thrilled to have this campaign as a way to draw support directly from the people who enjoy my creations. I'm honored to be given the responsibility of delivering something of real value directly to you in return. Whatever difficulties come please know that I am fully dedicated to you (the wonderful people contributing to this campaign), and you will be the first to know about any delays or complications in my progress.

Working towards the completion of Four Track is the most fulfilling thing I do every day. I have never been more excited about a single project in my entire life! Thank you so much for your trust and support.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $555 or more
About $555

{THE FRANKENTROLLER} - A one-of-a-kind, updated copy of the instrument that Moldover used to birth the controllerism concept! This is a brand new Novation Remote 25 SL, modified by Moldover himself, to re-create and improve upon every detail of his first custom performance instrument + everything in the COLLECTOR'S BUNDLE. See the original in this video: http://youtu.be/L2McDeSKiOU

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,000 or more
About $1,000

{PERSONALIZED BOX-SET} - Limited edition music, video, and printed artwork collection on a custom USB drive engraved with your name, including a multitude of un-released and "pre-Moldover" recordings dating all the way back to the actual four track tape mentioned in the video + one of the eight original Octamasher face-plates with autograph and personal thank you message from Moldover + everything in YOUR NAME IN CIRCUITRY.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $1,200 or more
About $1,200

{CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE} - Moldover will show up anywhere within the continental US with his performance rig, and do pretty much whatever you want (within reason) for the better part of a day: play a show, teach a workshop, build something cool, or any combination of the above + everything in the COLLECTOR'S BUNDLE. All travel expenses included.

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $2,222 or more
About $2,222

{THE BASS-FINGER} - A replica of the MIDI controller co-designed by Moldover, 60-Works Controllers, and Bassnectar. Based on the classic M-Audio Trigger-Finger, but built to the specifications of the demanding Bassnectar tour crew + everything in the COLLECTOR'S BUNDLE. More details: http://blog.60works.com/archives/678

Kickstarter is not a store.

Pledge $5,000 or more
About $5,000

{THE OCTAMASHER} - YOU will become the proud new owner of The Octamasher, Moldover's custom 8-player jambox. Moldover will bring The Octamasher to you anywhere within the continental US, set it up for you and your friends to enjoy, and spend a day hanging out and teaching you all about its inner workings. Now it's yours! + everything in the COLLECTOR'S BUNDLE. All expenses included. More details: http://jamboxes.blogspot.com/p/octamasher.html